


Garlan's little Brother

by trolalo



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M, Overprotective Brother, five times Galran shut Renly down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:38:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8333101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trolalo/pseuds/trolalo
Summary: Five times Garlan shuts down Renly





	1. Chapter 1

1.

“Your brother is really cute.” Renly said unthinkingly. Then he paled, once the reality of the words hit him.

Garlan was stock-still in front of him, cutting out decorations for the Halloween mixer. His scissors were open mid-cut as he froze.

“What?” Garlan said. His tone was frighteningly blank, and Renly could only see the tense line of his back.

Renly wanted to die.

“Nothing.” Renly said quickly, turning red. He refocused on the decorative pumpkin and his eyes bored holes into the dark-orange nearing the stalk. Garlan had been telling a story about how one Halloween, when they were children, he had dressed Loras up as a unicorn. Now whenever Garlan brought it up, Loras denied it vehemently. They had both chuckled. Then Renly said what he had said, in the spur of the moment. It could have been taken innocently, if it were anyone else but Garlan and Loras— there was cute, and then there was  _cute._ Either way, it didn't matter; Renly was going to have to defend himself. 

He regretted everything.

Garlan turned around and said, too calmly: “Please repeat what you just said about my brother.”

“He’s very— he’s, um. Very.” Renly paused, tentatively searching for the right words. Garlan was beginning to look more and more murderous.

“He’s very  _what_ , Renly. Say it.” There was a burgeoning, insistent, crazed edge to his voice.

Renly steeled himself. Garlan and him were long-time friends, and they had been brothers during the hellish pledge weeks of Renly’s freshman year, where Garlan had been an accommodating and generous big. Now, Garlan was visiting him again, and it was supposed to be a fun experience of catching up. Instead, his normally chiseled features were twisted up in a fit of protectiveness. So, Renly was going to tell the truth.

“He’s very good looking.” Renly pushed out, with difficulty. “And I said that he was cute.”

There was a deliberate pause. “I thought you liked women.”

“There _nice_ to look at” Renly said awkwardly. “I like men”

“Oh.” Garlan said, and he looked a little less incensed, now. Suddenly, there was a moment of terrified, utter bleakness on his face.

“You aren’t thinking of  _dating_  Loras, are you?” Garlan asked, horrified. The look of repugnant, white terror on his face was somewhat offensive. Renly frowned. “I mean— you’re my favorite little. And one of my closest friends. But he’s my  _baby_   _brother_.”

“I’m not.” Renly sighed, loudly. “I’ve never thought about dating your brother. You can settle down now.”

And with that resolved, Garlan returned to a normal coloring, instead of his pale imitation of a ghost, and they continued to assist in Halloween decorations for their fraternity.

 

But it was a lie. The truth was this: Renly had certainly thought about dating Loras. And he had thought about sex with him, which was the cherry-on-top, despite knowing it was akin to self-flagellation. Maybe even ritualistic suicide, when it concerned Garlan, because the man was way beyond the embodiment of a simple, good older brother.

Garlan was a good man. In fact, he was quite similar to Renly. It was why they had gotten along so well.

He liked to open the door for old ladies and hold groceries for struggling college girls, who would flush when he smiled at them, and Garlan was the type to save kittens from the gutter or to make sure the kids from their local elementary school crossed the street safely.

But when it concerned Loras, Garlan was a literal, hostile wasp.

He hovered around Loras, buzzing incessantly at anyone who approached with seemingly malicious intent, even though most were harmless. Privately, Renly thought that Loras could take care of himself— he still remembered the incident with Joffrey and the orange. God, that was frightening. But it was as if Garlan’s normally trusting nature dissipated into cautious paranoia.

Renly had thought it was quite amusing to watch. Until, of course, Garlan redirected those tendencies on Renly.

 

2.

“You don’t think Leonette is interested in Loras, do you?” Garlan asked, worried.

His blonde hair shone in the sunlight as they jogged together, breathing labored. It was a shade darker than Loras’s, a dirtier blond. Renly liked jogging. It was stress-relieving.

“Believe me,” Renly said, “Leonette is not interested in Loras.”

“Then why does she keep finding him and talking to him?” Garlan persisted stubbornly. “She’s too old for him.”

They were stopping now; there was a red light.

Renly scowled. “She’s my age.”

“Like I said,” Garlan replied, “Too old for him.”

 

3.

The alumni networking event made Renly’s head hurt. He was exhausted already from a tiring day of class, and it had reached a peak point when his Professor had discussed the merits of soil for thirty-minutes straight in his late-night 7PM class.

Since Garlan was a successful alumni, he was there as well. And since Loras was his undergraduate brother, he was also there.

“Hello.” Loras said, and sidled up beside Renly. “You look tired.”

Renly did not look over. Mainly because he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to stop staring.

“Long day,” Renly replied casually, looking determinedly forward, “How are you?”

And then Loras’ hand was at his elbow, the other at his back, pushing him in the other direction.

“It could be better,” Loras murmured, voice heavy in Renly’s ear, who could feel the warmth of his breath tickling the hairs on his neck. “I am avoiding Oberyn, who has been pestering me all night.”

“Oh?” Renly managed. Loras’ fingers were very long and slender on his arm. “Am I just a diversion to you?"

They stopped, near the drinks table, and Loras smirked coyly at him. His eyelashes were very long and fanned his high cheekbones. Looking at him was an ode to beauty— it was overwhelming.

“You’re a very  _nice_  diversion.” Loras said, smiling, and Renly couldn’t keep the helpless smile off his face. Loras was a bit younger than him, but they had met up regularly for things like lunch, since Garlan introduced them, when Loras entered college. The flirting was now a real, tangible thing between them.

They stared at each other for a warm moment.

“Ha ha! Renly!” Garlan said, appearing out of nowhere. Renly cursed his luck and Loras turned to smile at his brother.

“I was just enjoying a conversation with Renly.” Loras said. His side profile was equally as elegant as the front.

“Were you guys? There wasn’t any talking though, just now.” Garlan said, and he slung an easy arm around Loras’ shoulder, grip a little tight against Loras’ nicely pressed shirt. Loras’ lips twitched.

“I suppose you’re right.” Loras said. “Anyway, there are too many of Uncle’s friends here. I should leave.”

“Yes,” Garlan said, voice hardening, “I think you should. Stay safe.”

Loras nodded. They all exchanged goodbye’s, and Renly found his eyes trailing after Loras departing figure, hips swaying, arse looking fine as ever. His life was truly unlucky.

 

4.

“Perhaps you should simply kill Garlan and just get him out of the picture.” Leonette suppled unhelpfully, when Renly was discussing the issue with her.

“Right,” Renly said, “And where would that leave you?”

A slow, encompassing smile erupted on her beautiful face. “You’re learning to bite back.” She said, sounding pleased and not at all bothered by the jibe thrown at her.

“Men are just men.” She waved an arm nonchalantly, yet the motion was somehow sophisticated.

Everything she did was elegant, much like Loras. They had that, and more, in common. It was was unnerving at times, the similarities between them. But she had feelings for Garlan, and Renly had feelings for Loras. That was how it was.

“Garlan thought that you had feelings for Loras.” Renly mentioned.

“Irrelevant.” Leonette said, picking up a grape delicately and plopping it into her mouth. She had very fine features, salient of a model or perhaps royalty. Renly thought that Garlan would like her, if he got to know her better.

“Well,” Renly sighed, “That’s one way to get his attentions, I suppose.”

Leonette paused, fingers hovering above the plate.

“And you, Renly? How are your affections for mini-Garlan coming along?” There was a teasing lilt to her voice, but Renly trusted her advice.

He was just opening his mouth to speak, when his phone rang.

It was Garlan. Renly lifted his phone to show Leonette the caller ID. She stiffened. Renly kissed his chances of venting goodbye, before picking up the phone.

“Hello, Garlan.” Renly said.

“Did I leave my mug in your room?” Garlan said instantly. “I can’t find it.”

Renly searched his memory, but could find no recollection of whether it was there or not.

“I don’t remember. I can check when I get back.”

“You’re out right now?” Garlan asked, “Are you with Loras?”

Renly’s pause must have been too long, because when he said, “No,” Garlan had a delayed response.

“Give the phone to him.” Garlan said, tone hard.

“I’m not with him!” It was impossible that this was happening to him. Renly was being wrongly accused of colluding with his friend’s younger brother through the phone.

Finally, Leonette plucked the phone out of his grasp and purred, lowly, “Hello Garlan.”

 

5.

Loras was drunk. Loras was drunk and he did not hold his liquor well. Loras was  _drunk_  and in  _Renly’s_   _bed_.

It was a situation of mind-shattering proportions, and Renly’s hands fluttered around uselessly as he attempted to assess the situation. Yet, there was nothing to assess— Loras was not assess-able. He just existed, and that was enough to break Renly’s mental faculties.

The more troublesome problem was that they were in Renly’s fraternity, and he was afraid that a brother would see him and Loras fumbling around, and mistake an attempt to get Loras home as an attempt to get laid. They all knew Loras— Garlan’s precious, darling younger brother.

You touch, you die.

Renly was too young to die.

So, he was going to do his best to get Loras home. And he would eventually get around to confessing his feelings before he graduated while managing to resolve the situation with Garlan. Somehow.

“Let’s get you home, Loras.” Renly said, one arm trying to lift Loras up.

Loras was sprawled lazily across his bed, hair a halo around his face and his honey brown eyes unblinkingly staring at Renly. His shirt was unbuttoned near the top and his lips fell apart as he breathed, chest rising. Renly was suddenly acutely aware of how simultaneously attractive and unattainable he was.

“You don’t want to have sex with me?” Loras asked. This was not happening.

“That would be rape.” Renly said, and tried again to lift Loras up. It should not have been a hard task, but Loras was resisting, gravitating his body weight in the opposite direction.

“So, you don’t want to fuck me.” Loras said, stubbornly.

Renly felt the redness in his face, but duly ignored it. “Loras, you are drunk.”

“I am.” Loras said. “I also want to have sex with you.” He said it with perfect, articulate seriousness.

It was the absolute worst time to be aroused. Renly ignored the painful twinge of attraction in favor of firming his voice.

“Loras,” Renly said, “I will fuck you as many times as you want once you’re sober. But you’re drunk, so you can sleep in my bed, and I can go downstairs and sleep on the couch, ok?”

Loras gave him a hazy smile. “You’re very honorable. And handsome.”

Renly wanted to record the memory forever and keep it encased. The image of Loras, raw and honest, smiling at him like a literal angel, was enough for Renly to promise himself that when the weekend was over, he would ask Loras out. And tell Garlan.

“Also,” Loras spoke up suddenly, “I cannot sleep here.”

Renly furrowed his eyebrows. “Why not?”

“I promised Garlan that I would not sleep in another person’s bed while intoxicated. It’s not safe.”

Renly stared uncomprehendingly. “You just _asked_  to have sex with me!.”

“That’s different.” Loras insisted, “Garlan explicitly told me I’m not allowed to sleep in their bed.”

“You can’t even walk.” Renly pointed out, and Loras stared at him.

“You can carry me out.” Loras said, “Then I can Uber.”

It was the worst idea Renly had ever heard. It was ludicrous that Garlan wasn’t  _even_   _here_ , and he was somehow still shutting Renly down. Renly did it anyway— lifting up Loras when he was willing was easier, and very pleasing. The way Loras slotted against Renly’s body was nice.

Then Renly ignored the stares of the brothers in the house, and sent Loras home.

 

+1

“Hey. Garlan said, “I heard you helped Loras out of your room when he was drunk.”

Renly felt himself instantly go on guard. “I did.”

There was an awkward silence.

“I’m ok with you asking Loras out.” Garlan burst out at the same time Renly said, “I’m sorry, but I’m love with your brother.

Then they looked at each other.

“You’re… okay with it?” Renly repeated, amazed and unable to hide his amazement. Garlan looked offended.

“Of course I’m ok with it. Of all the people to trust him with— it would be you.” Garlan said, and he was being honest now. The wide open look in his eyes and the line of his mouth was familiar.

“But all the posturing earlier— the comments, the cockblocking. Explain yourself.” Renly said, dangerously. Garlan flushed and scratched at the back of his head, a muscled arm leaning against the chair.

“I didn’t know that the feelings were returned,” Garlan managed, embarrassed, “But Loras called me last night and quite severely emphasized that the feelings… were returned. And that I should stop orbiting. He said it was 'only funny in the beginning'.”

The sad, disgruntled look on Garlan’s face was enough to make Renly laugh, with inexplicable joy. The idea that Loras had told his brother that he  _liked_  Renly, and had known about Garlan all along (yet had done nothing but watch) was very Loras-like. It was probably telling that Renly found it all endearing, rather than irritating.

“I won’t hurt him.” Renly said, “I know you’ll kill me if I do.”

Garlan laughed. “I know you know. But I don’t think you would hurt him.” The words were chosen carefully, and there was something in his voice that Renly couldn’t identify.

They shared a quiet, secretive, smile.

And when Garlan began with, “About Leonette,” Renly laughed more.

 


	2. Chapter 2

It was Loras’ fault. Renly had brought it up as a courtesy— I’m-dating-you, you’re-my-boyfriend, want-to-come-to-my-family-reunion?

It was absolutely, utterly, a rhetorical question that needed no reply. Renly  _knew_  that Loras was intelligent enough to deduce so.

Which meant that for some strange reason, Loras  _wanted_  to see Renly’s family. This included his High Garden-hating brother, his drunk, angry brother Robert, and his overprotective friend Guyard (who conveniently did not like blonds, for reasons unknown).

Renly shuddered at the thought of any of them meeting Loras. The only one who would have been kind and congenial was his mother. But alas, she had been deceased since his birth. There was no easy solution to this situation. Loras assured that, at least. Renly wanted to sigh.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go?” Renly mentioned, tentative. “It’s spring break, after all. Margaery will be lonely.”

Laurent’s mouth tightened. “Sansa is visiting during break.”

Renly stared uncomprehendingly.

“Sansa is visiting my sister for the entire break.” Loras emphasized, pained. “I would rather not.”

“Ah.” Renly said, with dawning understanding— he rectified his earlier statement. Margaery would most certainly not be lonely; not with her girlfriend there.

“Still,” Renly tried again, “I don’t think my family is a preferable stress-relieving alternative.”

Loras waved his arm. “It’s fine.”

“My brother will be very drunk.” Renly’s voice was strained, and he thought that if he couldn’t stop this, he could try asking Garlan later for help.

Laurent shot him a hard gaze. “Renly, I said it’s fine.”

And that was that.

It was Garlan who pulled Renly aside first, before Renly could say anything at all Garlan said, “I don’t think this is a good idea.” The lines at his temple were serious, his mouth firm and hard.

“Me neither.” Renly said. “Can’t you persuade him otherwise?”

Garlan shrugged, tugging at a pinned sleeve. “Once Loras puts his mind to something, it’s impossible to change it.”

“Well,” Renly said, mildly annoyed at how useless Garlan was, though he wasn't much help himself, “Thanks.”

Looking increasingly sympathetic to Renly’s plight, Garlan patted him nicely on the back.

“It’ll be fine. Loras can take care of himself.” He comforted. Renly frowned.

“Then why did you tell me it was a bad idea?”

“Anything Loras does without me is a bad idea.” Garlan’s face was still serious, but his eyes were playful.

Renly slapped him on the back of his head and rolled his eyes, even though Garlan was only partly joking. He hated the High Gardeners, he really did.

They arrived on Saturday afternoon.

Guyard took one long look at Loras, then one at Renly. His head slowly, mechanically turned towards Loras again. Loras quirked a devious smile at him.

Then, Guyard dragged Renly off to the side very quickly. Too quickly, in fact. It was somewhat disorienting.

“He’s got curly hair.” Guyard articulated slowly, “And he’s from High Garden.”

“Look, I don’t know what your problem is with blond people, but—”

“Your brother’s hate High Gardeners.” Guyard said, louder this time and overriding Renly’s voice. “I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”

Loras was near the car, one slender hand swiping at his phone casually. He raised an eyebrow at them from afar. Guyard looked unstable.

“I have thought this through!” Renly said, desperate to defend himself. He glanced at Loras, who was suppressing a look on his face. The bastard could probably hear them.

“We’ll see.” Guyard replied ominously, and shot a dark glower at Loras, who waved at him.

Loras picked at his pasta meticulously and delicately twisted his fork, chewing in an elegant motion. All eyes seemed to be drawn on him. Joffrey speared a piece of sausage violently, scowling all the while. Tommen innocently eating his peas, Robert was eating ravenously, but his eyes were boring holes into Loras’ face. Stannis didn’t even attempt the pretense of eating. He was unabashedly looking at Loras.

Only Guyard politely tried to maintain conversation whilst consuming his meal— but he was getting ignored by half the table, and Renly was replying half-heartedly to him, part of his attention on the on goings of the table.

Loras was taking all of it in stride. His demeanor was cool, and the arch of his cheekbones cut through the judgmental stares with ease. He replied to Guyard with calm, placid certainty.

“Well,” Guyard said, sounding desperate that the only person genuinely replying to him was Loras, “I think that housing is quite overpriced.”

“I have to agree,” Loras said smoothly, “my brother Willas has been negotiating with contractors to construct new housing. But there is, of course, the problem of space in a downtown area.”

“Your brother?” Robert asked dangerously, after a solid chew. Stannis was silent. “The one who negotiated the latest deal to take back Summer Hall Corporations?”

There was a slight pause.

“It’s The Reach Corporations, now.” Loras said mildly. Joffrey looked unusually enraged for a family dinner. Tommen kept looking at Joffrey's fork, as if in fear that Joffrey himself would become unhinged and spear Loras angrily.

Renly took a moment to collect himself, and questioned the higher powers for their situational placement. Why was it that he was the one sweating nervously while Loras was sitting there like a calm statue? Was he purposefully trying to incite the rage of Renly’s family?

“Arrogance.” Stannis finally spoke up. “The deal has not fallen through yet.”

Loras tilted his head. “But it will.”

Tommen opened his mouth to fill in his two sense at the same time Robert slammed his wine cup on the table. “Ok, that’s it boy.” Robert rasped, and stood up. Joffrey looked about one second from doing the same thing. Loras looked tiny in comparison across from them.

“Robert-“ Renly tried, and Loras placed a hand on his shoulder. That seemed to enrage Joffrey further.

“He and I are going arm wrestle!” Robert declared.

Tommen’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Arm… wrestle?”

“That’s right.” Robert said, with a triumphant smirk on his face. “Whoever loses will be forced to concede his dominance.”

“This is ridiculous.” Renly said. “Look at him. Loras cannot arm wrestle you.”

“Of course I can.” Loras interrupted.

Renly stared at him uncomprehendingly. Everyone was staring at him uncomprehendingly. It was clear that Robert had not expected Loras to agree, as his mouth began to twist.

Loras said, “Well, shall we do this here or in the living room?”

They moved as a group to the living room. Renly clutched his cup of wine tightly. His stress was skyrocketing, and Guyard kept shooting him these glances. It was not appreciated.

Loras looked completely at ease as he slid down to the floor, resting his arms on the table.

“I am left handed.” Loras said. Renly’s eyebrows furrowed. Loras was definitely not left-handed. The liar. Joffrey made a face as if to say a snide remark, but he held himself back, a smirk on his face.

“No matter. We shall wrestle with our left hands, then.” Robert said triumphantly. He had no qualms about a change in the rules— it was clear that Robert felt Loras had no chance in winning. Tommen was smiling lightly. While as Stannis still clenching his jaw.

They spread their arms and clasped their hands. Loras’ grip was relaxed, and Guyard swallowed nervously before counting down. Renly thought he was going to die.

“Alright, ready… start!”

Immediately, Loras’ wrist jerked in a strange, quick fashion sideways before his grip tightened. Robert’s face twisted in sudden pain and Loras slammed his left-hand down onto the table with no struggle at all.

The room was completely frozen, except for Loras, whose palm reigned upwards on the table. Guyard and Tommen’s jaw dropped. It was perhaps the most humiliating defeat for the Storm Landers Renly had ever seen, and Renly felt thick with shock.

No one moved.

“Shall we drink, now?” Loras asked.

 “How.” Renly said. “Literally. How.”

Loras smiled thinly. “What do you mean, how? Don’t I seem strong, lover? Muscled?”

“Yes, of course. But how.” Renly said, still bowled over with shock. Robert; who had won weight lifting championships... had lost to Loras.

Loras finally rolled his eyes. “Did you know Robert has arthritis in his left wrist?”

There was a long pause as Renly considered this. “He never told me.”

“Probably because he denies that it exists.” Loras said dryly. “I could tell from the way his joints protruded awkwardly. It’s easy to exploit if you know how to make it hurt.”

 “Anyway,” Loras said coyly, “I’d call this family reunion a success. You did all that worrying for nothing.”

“Right.” Renly said fondly, letting Loras interlock their arms, “All that worrying was for nothing after all.”


End file.
